It’s “release everything!” day for Apple – virtually every single Apple platform and operating system is getting updates today. Almost all device releases are point releases to address issues in the major versions released in September, with the exception being iPadOS 16, which was delayed and is accompanied today by macOS 13.
Ars’ macOS review, is, of course, the definitive resource for this new macOS release.
But it does feel like the software side of the Mac is lacking its own unique direction and identity lately. Overwhelmingly, new features for macOS merely help it keep pace with what is happening on the iPhone and iPad. That feels doubly true in Ventura, where a core system app has been rewritten from the ground up to mirror its iOS counterpart, where a new window management feature is being implemented in the same way on the iPad, and where new apps and updates to old ones are increasingly just iPad apps running inside macOS windows.
The throughline for all these features is about making the Mac more welcoming and comfortable for people who come to it through one of Apple’s mobile platforms. This makes some sense. The Mac is Apple’s most powerful, extensible computing platform, both in hardware and software. It’s also the smallest. Maybe some of the first iPhone buyers were coming to it from the Mac, but the balance surely flipped years ago.
But when was the last time that the Finder, the Dock, or the Menu Bar was given a substantial, non-cosmetic rethink? When did Apple last make major improvements to the way that windows coexist on a given screen? The Mac does get new under-the-hood features that are specific to it, but the headline features are mostly iOS and iPadOS imports, especially this year.
You know where you can get the updates.
The new task manager thing is great on the ipad that had terrible task management previously. But on macOS it is terrible and pointless.
Which of those areas listed for “rethinking” really need it on desktop macos? I mean, macos has had a really good finder model since like macos 7 (the earliest one I used, might have been fine earlier). macos X wasn’t necessarily an improvement, IMHO. What new is needed there? Sometimes UX is just mature, and doesn’t need much tinkering.
The new settings panel does look like iOS, but it also kind of looks like Windows 11’s settings panel. And like gnome’s settings panel, and on and on. Again, a sign of maturing UX.
CaptainN-,
I totally agree 🙂
OS teams are pressured to come up with something new to “put on the box” and sell, but as a user I often have misgivings about changes that are for changes sake rather than providing tangible benefit.
Yeah, they all seem to follow similar fads. I suspect there will be more because “mature” is not good for selling new products.